[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 127 (Monday, July 3, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 34553-34554]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-16262]



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[[Page 34554]]


DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Fish and Wildlife Service


Availability of an Environmental Assessment and Receipt of an 
Application for a Permit To Allow Incidental Take of the Endangered 
Pahrump Poolfish by the Nevada Division of State Parks, Spring Mountain 
Ranch State Park, Clark County, Nevada

AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the Nevada Division of 
State Parks (Applicant) has applied to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 
Service (Service) for an incidental take permit pursuant to section 
10(a)(1)(B) of the Endangered Species Act of 1973, as amended (Act). 
The application includes the proposed habitat conservation plan fully 
describing the proposed project and mitigation, and the accompanying 
implementing agreement. The application has been assigned permit number 
PRT-804120. The requested permit would authorize the incidental take of 
the endangered Pahrump poolfish (Empetrichthys latos latos) in the 
irrigation storage reservoir at the Spring Mountain Ranch State Park 
(Park) in Clark County, Nevada. The proposed incidental take would 
occur during the renovation and operation of the reservoir in which the 
Pahrump poolfish occupies.
    The Service also announces the availability of an environmental 
assessment (EA) for the proposed issuance of the incidental take 
permit. This notice is provided pursuant to section 10 of the Act and 
National Environmental Policy Act regulations (40 CFR 1506.6).

DATES: Written comments on the permit application and EA should be 
received on or before August 2, 1995.

ADDRESSES: Comments regarding the application or adequacy of the EA 
should be addressed to Mr. Carlos H. Mendoza, State Supervisor, U.S. 
Fish and Wildlife Service, Nevada State Office, 4600 Kietzke Lane, 
Building C-125, Reno, Nevada 89502. Please refer to permit number PRT-
804120 when submitting comments. All comments, including names and 
addresses, received will become part of the official administrative 
record and may be made available to the public.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Mark Maley, at the above Reno, 
Nevada, address or at telephone number (702) 784-5227. Individuals 
wishing copies of the application or EA for review should immediately 
contact the above individual.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Under section 9 of the Act, ``taking'' of 
the Pahrump poolfish, an endangered species, is prohibited. However the 
Service, under limited circumstances, may issue permits to take 
endangered wildlife species if such taking is incidental to, and not 
the purpose of, otherwise lawful activities. Regulations governing 
permits for endangered species are in 50 CFR 17.22.
    The Applicant proposes to implement a habitat conservation plan 
(HCP) for the Pahrump poolfish that would allow the renovation and 
operation of the Park reservoir. The proposed reservoir renovation 
would include dredging of the reservoir to restore its holding capacity 
and construction of a dam to control sedimentation. The Applicant 
estimates that there would be no incidental take of Pahrump poolfish 
during renovation activities and an unquantifiable number of poolfish 
during the 30-year operation of the reservoir. However, if an 
unanticipated accident should occur during renovation of the reservoir, 
the incidental take of the reservoir's Pahrump poolfish population 
(estimated at 15,039  1,127 poolfish in 1994) could occur. 
The likelihood for such an accident to occur would be greatly reduced 
by the implementation of the proposed minimizing and monitoring 
measures outlined in the HCP. These measures include modification of 
construction activities to minimize poolfish mortalities and 
installation of two protective barriers between the construction zone 
and the inundated portion of the reservoir. The Applicant, as 
mitigation for the incidental take of Pahrump poolfish, proposes over 
the term of the permit, to continue to manage the reservoir jointly for 
irrigation and Pahrump poolfish. Management actions would include the 
termination of the annual practice of drawing down the reservoir to 
minimum pool, except for those years when maintenance is necessary. In 
addition, if renovation activities resulted in the total loss of the 
reservoir population of Pahrump poolfish within 1 year after completion 
of these activities, the Applicant would assist the Nevada Division of 
Wildlife and the Service in the reintroduction of poolfish from 
existing refugia back into the reservoir.
    The EA considers the environmental consequences of three 
alternatives, the No-Action Alternative, Sediment Control Alternative, 
and the Reservoir Renovation Alternative (Preferred Alternative). The 
Reservoir Renovation Alternative would allow the renovation and 
continued operation of the reservoir, the short-term modification of 
suitable Pahrump poolfish habitat, and the incidental take of Pahrump 
poolfish. Under the No-Action Alternative, reservoir renovation would 
not occur and the permit would not be issued. Without reservoir 
dredging, increasingly restricted reservoir capacity would inevitably 
result in shortened irrigation and grazing seasons, most noticeably 
reflected in the shorter periods that Park pastures remained green. As 
a consequence, ranching, one of the Park's scenic and historic 
qualities, would be diminished, or lost. Over the long-term, gradual 
sedimentation of the reservoir would shrink Pahrump poolfish habitat 
and eventually fish numbers would decline. The Sediment Control 
Alternative would forego reservoir renovation in favor of a earth dam 
to reduce the rate of further sedimentation. The construction of the 
sediment dam would not result in any immediate adverse effects to the 
Pahrump poolfish population in the reservoir.

    Dated: June 27, 1995.
Thomas Dwyer,
Deputy Regional Director, Region 1, Portland, Oregon.
[FR Doc. 95-16262 Filed 6-30-95; 8:45 am]
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